What If It Went A Step Too Far?
by Cinder46231
Summary: Hiccup was always seen as the dirt under everyone's feet, that they think are useless for everything except for crushing under their boots. This is the story of what it takes for the Vikings of Berk to realize that Hiccup is worth more than they thought. TRIGGER: There suicide in this even though he doesn't succeed. Warning: Astrid is the villain so don't read if you like her.


What if it went a step too far?

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Summary: Hiccup was always seen as the dirt under everyone's feet, that they think are useless for everything except for walking on and crushing under their shoes. But what no one knows is that without dirt, nothing can live, nothing can survive. This is the story of what it takes for the Vikings of Berk to realize that Hiccup is worth more than they would ever be able to afford. TRIGGER WARNING: There suicide in this even though he doesn't succeed.

Warning to everyone who likes Astrid, don't read if you are not ready to see her be turned into a jerk. Astrid!Bashing

Reason: Only because I needed a character to trigger the rest of the story but could not think of anyone but her

\- Could have done an OC but did not want to make a whole backstory.

\- Snotlout was not an option because family will always be sad when suicide of a family member was attempted, at least good family members anyways.

\- The twins, I would have needed to find a way to do both of them because if you separate them, that is just cruel.

\- Fishlegs is too kind for me to hate.

Sorry to all the Astrid fans out there

' _Thoughts'_

"Speech"

I do not own anything but the plot that would not leave my mind.

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It started in the middle of the night of a typical day; people teased him for being useless, Snotlout beat him up on the way to the forge, the twins joined him, Astrid ignored him with Fishlegs, and his dad had the disappointed look on his face. Now these things have been going on for years so he was used to it. It normally didn't bother him but tonight he couldn't sleep so he was left alone, in the dark, to his own thoughts with no way to express them in a remotely healthy way.

' _I really must be hopeless piece of work if everyone thinks the way they do. After all I am nothing but a fishbone that can only make a mess. I wonder if anyone would miss me if I left.'_ Hiccup couldn't really think of a reason that would stop himself from leaving. Nobody wanted him around.

' _They would probably celebrate when they find out the village outcast is not their problem anymore.'_ Hiccup smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile. Rather it was a sad, self-deprecating one. The kind that makes you wonder if he was contemplating suicide.

' _If Gobber didn't know I would make it permanent, but I promised…'_ hiccup trailed off looking at off while running over one of the scars on his forearm that he normally hid with his green tunic. This scar was more jagged than the others and it was vertical, going all the way from his wrist to his elbow. The was thick and ran through all the other thinner horizontal ones that span his arm. This boy's arms told the story of being the different one, of being seen as less than he was worth, of being the outcast, for years.

' _Would Gobber think I tried again if I left?'_ Hiccup thought of the single-armed, peg-legged Viking as a father. More so than his real father who wouldn't even say his name and the word "proud" in the same sentence without it being a question that had a negative answer. His father would probably be proud after he was gone. _"Ah. I'm proud of Hiccup. The boy finally learned to do something useful."_ And then he would go about his day and slowly forget about his useless son and eventually will make someone else heir when he forgot that he ever _had_ a successor.

By this point Hiccup had tears in his eyes but he refused to let them fall. _'Can't cry. Crying is for the grieving and the weak.'_

' _Maybe leaving would be better, I might help someone instead of being Hiccup the Useless for once. I don't want to leave Gobber but he'll get a better apprentice. If even I can help Gobber at the forge than anyone else would be able to do a better job.'_ He already started planning how to go about needing his life but he didn't want to die spending his last moments suffering.

' _I got caught last time because it took too long to bleed out. Maybe there is something that could make me bleed out faster, and maybe I should choose a better place this time. Don't want to mess up by doing it at my room in the forge again.'_ Hiccup decided to get up since he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep and decided to look through some of the books in his room to see if there was anyway to proceed with his plan.

It was morning before Hiccup gave up his search on looking for something to make his blood bleed faster. Instead he decided to look through a book on the human body where he found where all the major blood vessels in the body was. He debated on just stabbing himself in the heart but decide against it when he realized that didn't guarantee a quick death. If his last moments were to be long and painful, he wanted to experience the moment before death where everyone believes their lives flash before their eyes. He wanted to chance to see Gobber one last time, even if it is through his own mind.

The next part of his plan was to find a place where he could die quietly and wouldn't be discovered. He planned to go into the forest but he knows that Astrid likes to go train in their so he though to spend the day looking to see where she trains so he knows where to avoid.

Then he realized that he needed to make a new dagger for his plan. _'I could just use the one I always carry with me but that was given to me by Gobber to kill dragons.' (A dagger…To kill dragons…Well, it's the thoughts that count.)_ He didn't want the thing that Gobber gave him to protect himself to be the weapon of his demise. It meant too much to him.

With those thoughts in mind he started his day like any other day with plans for it to be his last day.

After he got past Snotlout and the twins he finally made it to the forge. He looked around and realized that Gobber wasn't there yet so he though that if he started on his dagger now Gobber would think that it was an order rather than a personal make and wouldn't question.

He started the fire in the forge and got out the mold to get started. By the time that he got to forming the shape of the dagger Gobber walked in. 'Morning Hiccup. How are you this morning?"

"Morning Gobber. I'm doing fine, just working on a dagger for someone." Gobber looked at him.

"Why do you need a new dagger? The one I give you break?" Hiccup got nervous.

"It's not for me, someone came to order a dagger this morning and I thought I would get started on it."

"Hiccup. You and I both know that you are the only one that uses a dagger and would ever need to replace one on this island because everyone else thinks it is too small of a weapon to do enough damage that is worth keeping around." Gobber looked at Hiccup properly, wonder what was wrong and hoping that Hiccup would tell him.

"Fine. The dagger is for me. I just thought last night that if I were to ever lose my dagger in a fight, it might be safer to have a second one on hand so that I wouldn't be completely defenseless." Hiccup felt guilty for lying but he didn't want Gobber to find out. He didn't want the man to be burdened by worrying about him. The Viking meant too much to him for him to do such a horrible thing to him but it is for the better. Gobber can get a much better apprentice if he was out of the way.

"Do you want any help with it?" Gobber said.

"No, you don't have to. There are other orders that have to be completed." Hiccup didn't want Gobber to help him in making the weapon that will eventually take him away.

Now Gobber was getting suspicious. Normally Hiccup like to work together with him so they could talk back and forth when making weapons and talk about new ideas on how to make a weapon stronger or faster. He would never choose to work alone unless something was bothering him. Gobber didn't want to push him but he better keep an eye on Hiccup in cause something happens.

"Okay Hiccup. Give me a yell if you need anything." Gobber said, before walking off to the other side of the forge to get started on the orders on the wall.

This was how they spent their morning, Gobber working while worrying about his favorite apprentice (his only apprentice automatically makes him the favorite but Hiccup was still better than the other teens), while Hiccup was slowly making his tool of suicide.

When they stopped for lunch Hiccup was finished with his dagger and was putting it in his belt. He went to Gobber and told him he had something to do and that he would be back a little bit later to help. Gobber was already suspicious so he told Hiccup that he had something to do as well so he might not be back before Hiccup before they both left for food. When they finished Hiccup disappeared into the woods and Gobber followed him because he was worried.

They found Astrid while on their trek through the woods and the moment Hiccup saw her, he turned in the opposite direction. This Gobber found odd. _'Why is Hiccup walking away? I thought he like Astrid? Why is he avoiding her?'_ Gobber continued to follow Hiccup until they found another clearing deep into the woods. Gobber hid behind a tree to observe Hiccup.

Hiccup looked around the clearing and though it was beautiful, he almost didn't want to choose this spot but then he thought, _'If I'm going to die, I might as well be selfish for once in my life and enjoy the beauty of something before I can't experience it anymore.'_ He decided this was going to do it sitting under a tree before he started making his way back to the forge, still unaware of the two-limbed Viking that was following him.

' _What are you up to Hiccup?'_

It was almost dinner time when the Gobber realized that Hiccup was missing. He thought that he Hiccup went home but that thought was quickly dismissed when he saw a note on his work bench in the forge.

 _Dear Gobber,_

 _I originally didn't want to leave a note because I didn't want you to worry but then I realized that if I didn't tell you what I planned that you would worry for longer and feel guilty for what was going to happen. I'm sorry I lied to you today, the dagger was not meant to protect me in case I lost the dagger you made for me. The reason I made a new one was because I didn't want your gift to me be the thing that takes me away. I know that you will want to look for me, to stop me from ending it all but I'm sorry. I can't take it anymore. I don't want to be Hiccup the Useless, the outcast, the disappointment anymore. I want to be free from everything. So, to make sure this doesn't end up like last time, I made sure to hide myself before leaving. I have always thought of you as a father, Gobber and I hope that I did you proud while I was under your care, I know that dad didn't but I stopped trying to gain his acknowledgement a long time ago. I don't know if he loved me but he stopped showing it after he probably realized that his son would amount to nothing in life other than being a disappointment. I know that dad doesn't hate me but I don' t like being the unwanted anymore so I hope you can help me look after him I leave. Don't let him be reckless when I am no longer there to make him think. By the time you read this, I might have moved on so don't try to find me._

 _I love you Gobber._

 _Love,_

 _Your son,_

 _Hiccup_

Gobber ran out of the forge, frantic to find is apprentice, no, son before he remembered what happed when he was following Hiccup in the woods before he took off trying to find the clearing again, hoping he was not too late.

As he found the clearing, what he saw caused the blood to drain from his face, just like the blood that was draining from his child's body.

What he saw was Hiccup sitting against the tree that he was eying earlier today with multiple slash marks on his body, the new dagger he made today lying next to him and the dagger Gobber gave him lying in his hands.

Hiccup was so still when Gobber finally reached him causing to fear that he was still too late. But when he looked closely, he saw that Hiccup was still breathing. He quickly picked Hiccup up into his arms before he ran back to the village, hoping that he could still be saved.

When he got back to the village, everyone was just leaving the Great Hall.

"Gothi! Help!" Gobber yelled, getting everyone's attention. This drew attention to the person in his arms. This caused everyone to be silent. They have never thought they would see the day they were so close to finally loose the outcast of their village. Everyone looked ready to cheer before they saw the glare that Gobber gave them for looking so happy.

"If any of you dare to be happy about this, you can prepare to fight the next dragon raid without your blacksmith." Gobber then turned to follow Gothi back to her hut, hoping that Hiccup won't die.

Gobber's threat did not seem like much to the villager, what they don't know is that Gobber was serious and since the only other person that knows how to work in a forge is within death's reach, they really will be going into their next battle without protection

It was well into the night before Gothi stopped her work, having done all that she could do, she could not do anymore to save the young teen if the boy didn't want to live.

"How is he?" Gobber was there as Gothi tried to save his ward _'There was so much blood. Oh Hiccup, why did you do it?'_ Gobber knew that the last question was stupid, he knew why Hiccup did it. He told him the last time that Hiccup almost succeeded.

All Gothi could tell him was that it all depended on Hiccup now. There was nothing left that she could do to save him. He will stay unconscious until he wanted to be woken up.

Gobber couldn't help himself, he let tears fall from his eyes into his beard. _'This could not be happening. The boy was just fine yesterday. What brought this along? Why isn't Stoick here? He should be worried about his son.'_

"Gothi, can you look after Hiccup? I want to go find Stoick and tell him what happened." Gothi nodded.

It took Gobber a while to find Stoick but he never thought he would see what he saw. There was a celebration going on in the Great Hall and Stoick was sitting up in his usual seat, smiling like as if his only son was not in a coma in Gothi's hut.

The anger that Gobber felt towards his long-time old friend was so hot that it almost burned the friendship, the brother in arms bond between them. It didn't burn only because he hoped that his friend didn't know what was going on.

Gobber scowled before marching right up to Stoick who was laughing and didn't stop smiling even when he saw his friend walk up to him with the murder intent of a dragon. "Ah! Gobber, what has got you in such a bad mood? Here, have some mead and join the celebration."

"What celebration?" Gobber growled, but gritting his teeth and barely hanging on to the anger in him.

"The villagers told me that Hiccup finally did the village some good without tearing something down. Can you tell me what he did? Whenever I ask someone, they just saw don't worry about it but I want to go congratulate him." Stoick said. The anger in Gobber did not disappear, but it did get redirected towards the villagers.

"Follow me Stoick, I'll bring you to him." Gobber said, not giving anything away before he turned and walked out of the Great Hall. He could wait until later to blow up at the villagers but if he showed Hiccup to Stoick now he would be able to get Stoick to be angry at them with him.

As they neared Gothi's hut, Stoick started to worry. The only reason for them to be walking towards the elder's hut would be if his son was hurt. He knows that he is hard on his son and that sometimes he hurt Hiccup in the process but he did love his son and didn't want him to get hurt. It's the reason why he always tried to keep his son inside during dragon raids. He didn't want his only family left to be taken away from him.

When Gobber brought him inside and he saw his son covered in bandages, Stoick could feel himself feel anger well up inside him but he pushed it down so that he could worry about his son. He could yell later but his son was more important.

"What happened?" Stoick asked, his voice sounding small as he neared his unconscious son.

"When I was about to head to the Great Hall for dinner, I was a note on my work bench. It was Hiccup's good bye note. I thought that he was okay but I had my suspicions today when I saw that Hiccup was acting distant. I knew that he had the thoughts of suicide before but I have been keeping a close eye on him. That's why I ran to the clearing in the woods that I saw him in today. By the time I got to him he was surrounded by so much blood coming out of the slashes he made. I gathered him and brought him to the village for Gothi to treat him. I am disgusted with what I saw when the villagers saw Hiccup dying in my arms. I could have sworn I saw some of them smile. Gothi said that he is in a coma and that if he wants to, he will wake up but it all depends on Hiccup." Gobber explained, both pained and angered by what happened. He was glad that he was not the only one that felt anger towards the villagers if the scowl on Stoick's face was any indication but he was also thankful that Stoick did love his son because he wouldn't know what to do if Hiccup did wake up, only to find that only Gobber cared, that Stoick, his real father did not care.

Stoick turned to Gothi, who was still sitting on the chair next to the bed, and asked, "Is there any way we can help him wake up?" Gothi mentioned that talking to him might help. That people in comas can here what is spoken to them but other than that there was nothing they could do.

In the three people the hut knew that something had to be done or else this would just happen again and the they where not going to stand for it because the little boy in the bed had gone through too much and it was almost too late before they realized that something had to be done. They were not going to let this happen again if they had anything to do about it.

The first thing that happen after the two Viking stayed over in Gothi's hut to watch over Hiccup was planning how to make the villagers pay for what they did. It may be petty in the view of some but to them it seemed pretty fair since the citizens of Berk caused the successor to want to kill himself. It can almost be considered treason.

It was while they were planning that Gobber remembered the dagger that Hiccup cherished and the note Hiccup left for him the day before.

"Stoick, does Hiccup know that the dagger he always carries around was commissioned by you and not a gift from me?" Gobber thought this could be the first step for Hiccup and his dad to make up, even if one of the parties were unconscious.

"No. I told him it was from you because I wanted him to see it as a gift and not as expectations. Why do you ask?" Stoick asked, confused about how this relates to plotting against his people.

"I ask because I remembered this." Gobber took out the note from his pocket and the two daggers that Hiccup had with him in the clearing, one of them still stained with blood.

Stoick picks up and reads the note, feeling guilt as he kept reading before the picked up the dagger not stained in blood and went over to Hiccup, putting it on beside the pillow before sitting down on the chair next to the bed. He would normally go through hell and back before he admitted to shedding a tear to anyone but if anyone asked, he would proudly say, with his head held high, that he did next to his son on that day. The son that he hurt. The son that believed he wasn't loved. The son that he cared about more than anyone could tell but didn't show very well.

"Son. I'm so sorry that you believed that I stopped loving you. You are my son, the only family I have left, I could never stop loving you. The reason I was always so harsh on you was because I cared. I wanted you to be safe from harm, away from the dragons, away from the beasts that took your mother. I feared that one day the dragons would take you away from me too. But I never realized that I was the one that pushed you away. That I was one of the people that almost took you away from myself. I am so sorry Hiccup and no matter how many times I say it, it will never be enough to make up for what I have done. I don't ask for forgiveness but please, don't leave your old man with no one left."

By this point Stoick was openly crying but still speaking, even if his words are not heard, he had to say them or he feared he would never get to speak them again.

"You still have your whole life ahead of you, I still want to see all the great things you do and all the amazing things you will do. You may not know this but I am proud to call you my son and anyone who tells you otherwise is not speaking the truth. I have seen all the things you create, all the hard work you do in the forge, and all the effort you put into everything you do. I have seen every single one of them and I want you to know that I could not ask for a better son to be proud of and that is because you are stronger than everyone. I have met those that are born frail and small but they do not do anything to try to become better, they take the fact that they are small and hide away. But you. You my son, have tried your hardest to use what you are good at to make up for what you cannot compete with. You build amazing inventions that make you just as strong if not stronger than those with more strength than you. The courage and inner strength you have and put in everything you do instead of hiding away is what makes me proud to be you father and what gives me the strength to be chief. I know that I am talking a lot and you may not have heard anything that I have said but when you wake up and if you remember what I said then know that every word was the truth and if I was told to go tell this to anyone I would do so proudly because you are many things, many amazing things, but the one thing you are not is a disappointment." Stoick finished and wiped the tears from his face and held Hiccup's hand

"Don't worry Hiccup. When you wake up, promise you that no one would dare do what they did before. Even if I have to fight each and everyone of them just to beat it into them because if I fight them, I would be proud to say that I am fighting for you honor." He pat Hiccup's hand before getting up and heading back to where Gobber and Gothi were.

"Let's keep working. I have a promise to keep." Stoick was back to being all serious, but you could see the fury and determination burning in his eyes.

The other two nodded and got back to work. They had to make up for many late apologies towards a certain young man.

By lunch time Stoick, Gobber, and Gothi had a plan about what to do but they had to wait for the right time so they decided that they would return back to the village for now and wait.

As Gobber was walking back to the forge he was contemplating whether or not he should close the forge. He knew that he didn't want to help the people that hurt a person he cared for but he knew that Hiccup would not want him to leave the people he cared about to the mercy of the dragons. Stoick agreed so they decided that Gobber would keep making weapons that help for the raid but he would not perform any of the tasks that Hiccup did in the forge which were repairing weapons that were damaged outside of the raids and taking orders. Gobber just could not wait for the villager to realize that Hiccup helped and that without him, they would not get the new, better weapons that they bragged about.

Stoick on the other hand was ready and willing to hand out punishment but he also knew that he could not do it without reason so he was just waiting for someone to slip up (maybe accidentally tell him the true reason for the celebration the previous day) so that he could give them punishment that would make death seem better.

Gothi's plan didn't go as far as the two walking muscle brains. Hers was simpler. She still planned to perform her duty as the village elder and the main healer of Berk but no one said that she had to make it painless to them and she can even blame it on her old age and saying that her hand slipped. Those knuckleheads that call themselves Vikings of Berk can handle the pain if they are willing to cause it. That was her plan, make them feel the pain that Hiccup felt, even if she could not make them feel the emotional and mental pain that Hiccup felt she could make their physical pain hurt just a bit more.

 **Hiccup will be out of commission in the chapter until he wakes up. The next couple parts are about the people of Berk realizing what happens when they lose what they believe is the most useless member of their village and Stoick's, Gobber's, and Gothi's pay back.**

As days past Hiccup stay unconscious and the people of Berk slowly start to notice his absence.

It started off small when some were still happy that the runt was hurt and thought he did not make it but when Gobber told them they were unconscious they just put him to the back of their minds. But some of them notice, mainly the ones that knew him from when he was small. They notice that it seemed quieter without the little boy running around trying to help, to find a way to be useful. They notice the forge is no longer always lit, even when Gobber was not working. They started to miss that there was someone looking to ask how to use a weapon or how to fight dragons or even some of their old scar stories anymore. They were the ones that sobered up quickly that what happen to Hiccup was no something to celebrate but rather something to worry about.

There were some that don't agree with those who regretted celebrating. These were the arrogant one, the young ones, the bullies. They were the ones that looked down on weak people who didn't know their place, that tried to prove themselves even though they were not strong, essentially what Hiccup was. These Vikings were the ones that believed only the strong will survive and the weak did not deserve to live, that's why they celebrated. They thought the one weak stain in their strong village was finally dead. They did not realize that without that "weak" person, what made they strong would slowly disappear.

The teens of the village (not including Fishlegs) were could honestly be the worst group out of everyone mentioned. They didn't only celebrate with everyone when they found out that Hiccup was dying. They insulted a dying person with no regret. They were cheering well past what has already ended. They thought the way Hiccup was dying was not bad enough. That it was too good for the little "hiccup."

The only people aside from Gobber, Stoick, and Gothi that thought what happened was bad were the children. The village of Vikings were not known to be smart or expressive. So, the only ones that would play with the children aside from their parents were Hiccup. They knew Hiccup for who he was because he was with them whenever he was not working or trying to help. He taught them how to read, told them stories that others thought they were not old enough to here, he comforted them when they had trouble or when one of the teens picked on them. To them, Hiccup was one of their heroes, one of the ones they look up to. So, when they saw him bleeding in Gobber arms that day, their little hearts broke. They went to Gothi's hut almost every day to go see their hero and ask how he was. They talked to him hoping to wake him up so that they could play together again.

It was a week since Hiccup went into a coma when a dragon raid happened.

The people of Berk fought like usual but they noticed something, even the slow, dim-witted ones. They noticed that the forge was not working as fast as usual. People always thought that Gobber did all the work while Hiccup just hide away but they notice during this raid that everything was slower, that nothing was going as smoothly, because the place that they got all their weapons was not as efficient when there was only one person. It was like asking one gear to run a whole system. It was slow and it put stress on the gear.

By the time the raid was over, everyone was tired and some of their food stores were stolen. The Berkians thought that was the end of it but it was not. When they headed over to the forge to give damaged weapons for repairs, they thought that Gobber would provide replacements like usual but that was not the case. Gobber told them that he could not keep up with weapon repairs for this round and for the ones that come after the ones from the raid were fixed, so they were to go weaponless until they were fixed.

The people were outraged. (About what! You guess were the ones that almost killed his apprentice.) They didn't understand why Gobber were trying to hinder them like this. They kept yelling at Gobber until he had enough.

"I wouldn't want to fix your weapons even if I had could do this by myself. I promised you all that if you guys celebrated that the forge was not going to help anymore. But since I didn't want the innocents to dies because of the dragons I choose to help. I cannot fix a village worth of weapons by myself, why do you think Hiccup is in the forge rather than in his room during the raids. He is the extra pair of hands that I need in order to provide weapons during raids. Since you guys thought he was so useless and didn't need him, you guys can suffer not having him and try to do weapon maintenance by yourselves because I'm no longer going to be taking orders for making new weapons and if you guys break you weapons because of something other than fighting dragons you can fix them yourselves. Hiccup use to do so much and went underappreciated so now you guys reap what you sow." Gobber glared at them before closing the forge service window.

The crowed was shocked speechless. The ones that didn't understand how Hiccup could be useful left in anger, including the teens. The ones who understood what Gobber meant were ashamed. They knew what they did was not honorable behavior and that they were getting what they deserved so they left with their heads hanging.

Gobber did exact what he said he would do. He fixed their weapons if they were broken in a raid. If they were not, they did not get fixed. If a weapon got broken beyond repair, they did not get new ones. Anyone who tried to force Gobber to make new weapons always left learning why Gobber was once of their best warriors even though he only had half his limbs. As the days went by, some of the Vikings started to see what Gobber meant when he said that they brought this on themselves. They saw the help they he gave Gobber whenever they went over to see the man. They saw him working hard, by himself in the forge, trying to repair a village's worth of weapons without help. They saw that even if he said he would accept orders to make new weapons, he would not have the time to even plan them not to mention make them.

Of course, Rome was not made in a day, and Vikings are stubborn people. But progress is progress.

After almost a month of Hiccup being in a coma, the only people that still have not come to their senses were the teens that never seemed to like Hiccup and the kind of Vikings that people wanted to aim a hammer at and hoped that it would knock some sense into their empty skulls.

Stoick has yet to give anyone a yelling of the century because they all knew not to anger the chief. Gobber's plan worked but it was hard on the old blacksmith who hoped that when Hiccup woke up that he would still help him in the forge. Gothi didn't even have to enact her plan because every time someone came to her for aid, they would see Hiccup lying on the bed, motionless like the dead, the only thing showing that he was alive was the slight rise and fall of his chest. The sight of the normally clumsy, but energetic and smiling child made they feel the guilt of their actions. The guilt that they celebrated the almost end of one of the lights in their lives. This was especially heart clenching for parents who thought if it was their child on that bed, they would be praying to the gods that they were okay and would hate anyone that celebrated their death.

What surprised everyone though was that they never realized there was one more person that didn't celebrate with everyone when they saw Hiccup in Gobber's arms. Spitelout was someone that many thought weren't related to Hiccup aside from being the second-in-command to Stoick. But many forgot that Spitelout is Hiccup's maternal uncle. He watched the boy grow up next to his own son, watch over the boy when Stoick could not. There was not much he could prevent when his own son was the tormentor because he loved his son as well. He always thought it was at a small scale but the day he saw his nephew in the blacksmith's arm and hook, slowly bleeding out, he actually felt hatred towards his own son. The son that almost caused him to lose the last connection he had to his dead sister. It has been a month since he interacted with his son like before. He could not bring himself to support such actions. Spitelout decided that when Hiccup woke up, that he would make it up to him, first by making his son apologize, then make him accept whatever punishment Hiccup gave that was suitable for the years of bullying he did when he thought he was better than others.

It was almost five weeks since Hiccup went into a coma. The really stubborn Vikings were just not giving in. Even Mildew gave in when he realized that he missed the witty comment that the stick of a boy gave him whenever they saw him.

Stoick was just waiting for a time to release his anger, but his actions had consequences so he had to wait for an opportunity to be able to express justice even though he knew the celebration was enough for him to enact punishment for treason because they wanted the death of the heir.

To his surprise it was Astrid, one of the most promising future shield maidens that pushed him over the edge. It was the day after a dragon raid that went well into the mornings of the next day. A few got injured, one of them being Astrid. Stoick was at Gothi's hut after the raid, having finished with the post-raid work, sitting by his son for his daily visit and talk since he hoped that the day when Hiccup woke up, he would be there to see him.

Of course, Astrid did not think that Hiccup was worth the effort and that was what got her in trouble and what gave Stoick the opportunity he was looking for.

 _~~~ What happened ~~~_

Stoick was sitting next to his son, telling him about the raid and how some of the children that he used to play with wanted to help in the raid and how they helped out Gobber in the forge to make it easier. He told his son how almost everyone was waiting for his return so he had to wake up soon so that he could all the inventions Hiccup made but had yet to show him, even told him some of the funny stories like the one where one of the kids that were helping out in the forge once saw Hiccup pick up one of the swords and thought that they could try, so when he went to pick it up, he got it off the ground but got dragged back down because of the weight and latter took him and four others to move the sword back onto the shelf after another two attempts. Stoick laughed saying how it was like watching someone getting their legs tied together but trying to walk because they couldn't figure out they were tied up.

It was as he was talking that Astrid came in. she gave Hiccup a look, lifted her nose in the air and asked Gothi to look at her wound, which was really only a minor scratch compared to what the other injured got. _'Of course, she thinks herself more important since everyone said she had potential. Potential means nothing without the right attitude.'_ Stoick thought before turning back to Hiccup to continue with his visit.

Gothi who was changing Hiccup's bandages. It may have been five weeks but some of the cuts were really deep needed stitches and had yet to completely heal. Astrid's wound was minor in comparison to her current patients so she told her to sit at the table in the room. Astrid, on her high and mighty figurative horse, got angry because they were taking care of the useless one instead of her, one of the most promising fighters on Berk (Wow, ego much.)

"Why are you taking care of that waste of space, if he didn't wake up after being unconscious for a week, he should just be gotten rid of since he is not worth the time and resources spent on him." Astrid did not see the look that were on Stoick, Gothi, Gobber, and Spitelout's face when they heard this. Spitelout and Gobber just arrived and were standing at the door when she said this and there was never a day where they would be ungrateful for going into Gothi's hut at that exact moment because this means that the girl would finally get what she deserved and with Stoick's plan, everyone else would finally get their due.

At that moment nobody but Gothi knew that Hiccup was actually awake but faking sleep. Hiccup was faking it well before Astrid came because he wanted to enjoy hearing his dad talk to him and was scared that if he woke up that his dad would stop. When Astrid spoke, he thought everything was going to crumble, that his dad would agree and that he would die. He never thought he would see the day that his day would defend him and express the care that Hiccup always wanted.

" , it would appear that you have forgotten your place. What you don't understand is that the person you just called useless was my son and your future heir. Since you believe you know how to run an island better than me since you seem ready to make decisions for me, I will bring you to see everyone and have them think about whether what you just said was valid or worthy of punishment because killing the heir can be considered treason, which results in either being banished to sea or death by fire. Of course, this is the Chief of Berk speaking because what I saw has consequences but as a father to Hiccup, you can guarantee you will pay for your words against my son because you have gone too far." Stoick stood up and grabbed Astrid by the arm, putting extra pressure on her scratch making her cry out, before dragging her out. Gobber and Spitelout followed, ready to help Stoick with the yelling that is to come.

When they left Gothi asked how long was Hiccup going to fake sleep. Hiccup opened his tear-filled eyes before carefully sitting up. (He can understand Gothi because he likes to learn) He drank from the water that Gothi handed him before processing what he just heard.

"Gothi, do you have anything that can help me walk to the village?" Hiccup wanted to see if what his dad said was true, if there was more than just his dad, Gobber, his uncle, and Gothi that would agree that he was not useless.

Gothi said that she would walk with him to go see what happen, so Hiccup grabbed onto the top part of Gothi's stick and slowly limped out of her hut since the cuts on his thighs still hurt. As he slowly walked through the village, he noticed that it looked more damaged than it normally would be after a raid and voiced it to Gothi. She said that Gobber was having trouble maintaining all the metal tools so they were limited to sharing them to fix everything.

When they finally got to the Great Hall, they saw that everyone was there, even Mildew. No one saw them yet so they decided to sit at one of the back tables to watch what happened.

Stoick was standing from where he normally sat, looking over everyone in the Hall, and glaring at the young Hofferson girl. Her parents standing off to the side looking disappointed, the other teens standing with them looking confused. _'Probably wonder what could perfect Astrid do to anger the Chief.'_

"Astrid Hoffereson, today I brought you before everyone of Berk to ask them if they believe what you said at Elder Gothi's hut was true. I ask you now to speak your exact words. Do not lie for there were three witnesses that will determine if what you said was true." Stoicks voice was cold but burned with anger. Astrid, thinking she was right, lifted her head and did.

"At Elder Gothi's hut I said, 'Why are you taking care of that waste of space, if he didn't wake up after being unconscious for a week, he should just be gotten rid of since he is not worth the time and resources spent on him.' And I meant every word of it." This cause everyone to gasp. Not everyone agreed but everyone knew not to insult a child to their parents face for risk of experiencing their wrath and this girl thought it was smart to do it to the Chief's child. Even Snotlout and the twins knew not to. They never thought that Astrid was so reckless.

"Who here disagrees with her words?" And to the surprise of Hiccup, well more than three fourths of the people raised their hands, even the teens. Astrid was shocked when even her parents raised their hands.

"And which of you agree?" Those that were brave enough to raise their hands were asked to explain. But was asked to answer two question first. "If it was their child, what would they do?" and "What did Hiccup do to you to deserve death by their hands?"

No one dared to speak because they all knew inside that if it was their child, they would fight for their child with everything they had and hold on with the skin of their teeth. They also knew that Hiccup did nothing to them. They knew that he was trying to prove himself, just like they did when they were his age. They only showed dislike towards him because he was different from them and an easy target.

Hiccup saw what everyone was thought of him and he felt warmth in him since he saw the day when he would be accepted. He asked Gothi if she could help him walk to the front to his dad.

As they slowly made their way through the Vikings, they saw that they were all shocked that after five weeks, Hiccup has woken up and was even walking. They moved to make walking easier for the two and Stoick, Gobber and Spitelout made their way from the front of the hall to shorten their walk.

"Son. You're awake." Stoick didn't what else to say but the emotions in his eyes were enough for him to know what his dad was trying to say because for the first time in a long time there was no disappointment or shame in them. Just caring and love.

"Hi dad." Hiccup smiled, trying his best not to grimace.

"Hi Gobber. Hello uncle Spitelout." Gobber and his uncle looked about ready to squeeze the life out of him be held back because they knew that his wounds have yet to fully heal.

"Is everything that you said true dad?" Hiccup wanted to confirm one thing before they went forward with what happened to Astrid.

"What is true?" Stoick still didn't think that talking to a person in a coma would help because they heard you. He only did it to prevent himself from giving up hope that the last of his family was going to leave him.

"When you said you cared and that you were proud of me." This was all Stoick needed to know what his son was talking about.

"Yes, every word and every tear that went with it." Stoick just finished Hiccup limped forward to hug him. (More like lean on one side because his arms didn't even reach both sides of his dad.

Hiccup's repetitive murmured thanks broke people's hearts because Hiccup was treated so poorly as to begin to believe that a parent could not love their child.

Stoick brought his hands around Hiccup to hug him, being mindful of his fragile state. He got scared for a moment when he felt Hiccup go limp, only to look down to see his son was sleeping.

"He just woke up after five weeks. His body is probably not strong enough for too much stress yet." Gobber volunteered to bring Hiccup back to Gothi's hut and when they left the Great Hall everyone had a small smile on their face. Of course, that did not mean that Astrid was escaping though.

"Now getting back to business. How will Astrid Hofferson be punished? Should I wait for Hiccup to decide or should I banish her from Berk?" Stoick looked like he was contemplating but he already decided to let Hiccup decide her punishment since it was a crime against him.

Hearing this, Astrid paled. _'I'm going to be banished just because that waste of space was insulted!?"_

Spitelout decided to speak up. "Why don't we let Hiccup decide. He should get the right to punish those that insult him and since he is the rightful heir, I think what Astrid said would warrant for more than just banishment. Let the boy have his revenge." Spitelout was internally smirking. He use to like the girl but for the past almost two months he started to see that what everyone saw in her was not all she was. She was honestly a hateful person.

"Very well. Until her punishment can be decided, Astrid Hofferson is to be held in prison and not allowed any visitors." Stoick then left the Great Hall, going back to his son, hoping to see the next time Hiccup was awake. They had a long time to make up for.

Astrid was in shock so she didn't resist the two Vikings that took her to the prison. Spitelout made his way towards his own son and looked at him like he had for the past couple weeks, with the look of indifference. "Snotlout. Follow me." Spitelout then turned to walk out of the front doors, Snotlout following him as they made their way to the Elder's residence.

When they got their Stoick was sitting at the chair place next to the bed and Hiccup was still asleep. Gothi and Gobber were standing of to the side watching Hiccup sleep. When they saw who came in, they nodded in their direction, before looking back to Hiccup.

Spitelout motioned for Snotlout to move closer towards the bed.

"Snotlout, who is that on the bed?"

"Hiccup." Snotlout was to scared to insult Hiccup after he saw what happen to Astrid.

"How is he related to you?"

"He is my cousin."

"Are cousin family?"

"Yes." Snotlout was getting confused. _'Where was this leading?'_

"Do you ever hurt family?"

"No! Never!"

"Then I ask you this now: Why did you bully Hiccup? Belittle him with everyone else to the point where he now has scars that only an experience fighter would come close to in size and numbers?"

"…" Snotlout could not answer because he didn't know how to. He didn't want to admit that he hurt his family.

"Gothi, is it alright to remove the bandages to see how the wounds are?" Spitelout wanted his son to see what has happened, hoping that seeing this would lead Snotlout to stop his bullying ways.

Gothi nodded before going over and removing the bandages that were around Hiccup's torso, arms, and legs before covering him for modesty and moving to let the other young Viking see.

What Snotlout saw made him pale and feel anger towards himself. Angry red slashes ran over Hiccup's body. On most people such scars would be seen as cool because it was proof that they survived, but those people were big and muscular. Such scars would seem like scratches on them, and they would not have as many as Hiccup had either. Hiccup was not big and muscular and he had well over two dozen of those slashes on his small body. This made Hiccup look so weak and if anything, he learned from his parents, it is that the weak must be protected. They may be weak in terms of strength but they make up for it in many ways as healers, blacksmiths, and stagiest. They were the ones that needed the strong to protect them as their sword and shield while they use their minds to support those that protect them, because no matter how much strong Vikings denied it, without support, they would be defeated before they could fight.

Snotlout hung his head in shame. He had gone against what his parents taught him, he hurt his baby cousin and almost killed him, he became a bully that picked on those that were supposed to be protected.

The three adults in the building realized that Snotlout knew what he did wrong and that he feels shame for what he did. Spitelout went up to his son and tilted his head up.

"I know that you feel shame for what you did and I am proud of you for realizing, even if it took so long. When Hiccup wakes up, I want you to apologize and promise me that you will protect him and be the second-in-command that he needs when he becomes Chief. You have to remember that you and Hiccup are brothers, so I never want to see you act as you have in the past." Snotlout gained fire in his eyes. He promised his dad and also made a promise to himself and Hiccup that he would protect him as his sword and shield.

The next time that Hiccup woke up he almost got scared back to sleep, because the first person he saw was Snotlout. He never thought he would see the day where Snotlout would look at him with anything but distain and smug. The way he was looking at him now had Hiccup worrying that something was wrong.

"What happened? Why are you here?" Hiccup tried to move the blanket that was at his waist to cover more of his body to try to protect himself, even if the blanket couldn't actually protect him. Snotlout notice this and felt guilt that he made his baby cousin scared of just being near him.

"I came to see how you were. Don't worry I'm not here to hurt you. Dad made me realize some things while you were unconscious and I thought I had to tell you these things in person." Snotlout was happy to see that Hiccup believed that he wouldn't hurt him.

"What did you want to tell me?" Hiccup could tell that Snotlout was serious about what he wanted to say so he would believe him if he said he wouldn't hurt him.

Snotlout bowed in his chair. "I wanted to apologize about all the things have done to you all these years. I should not have hurt you. Ever since I was a kid my parents taught me to protect those that were weaker than me, not to bully them and especially not family. My father made me realize that everything I have done up until now was not right. I want to atone for my actions, so my first step is apologizing to you and my second step is that I made a promise on my honor as a Viking that I, Snolout Jorgenson, will protect you with my life." Throughout all this Snotlout did not raise his head so he did not see the look on Hiccup's face.

He did lift his head when Hiccup was silent for a long time. Hiccup looked shocked but he had tears running down his face. Before Snotlout could open his mouth, Hiccup leaned forward and grabbed his cousin in a hug. Snotlout slowly brought his harms around his cousin when he noticed the younger's shoulders were shaking from silent tears.

They spent the next half an hour in this position but neither wanted to move even after Hiccup's tears ran dry.

It was another week before Hiccup was strong enough to walk by himself. When he entered the village, everyone was going about their normal day and those that saw him gave him a smile and a morning greeting. Hiccup felt weird because this was so different from what happened. He kept slowly making his way though the village, going to the forge. When he got there, he saw Gobber busy at work fixing weapons from the last raid, with some of the children there helping him by getting the tools he asked for. He stood at the service window and watched them work. They didn't notice him until Gobber turned around to dunk the sword in water to cool it down.

"Hiccup!" Gobber greeted and the children ran up to him to tackle him into a hug. But with the state he was in, it didn't take many of the kids attaching to him before he fell over.

"Alright, break it up, we don't want Hiccup to hurt himself after just recovering." The kids climbed off him and helped him up.

"So, what are you doing here Hiccup? Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I was lying in a bed for almost two months, let me walk around to stretch a bit will you. Is there anything I can help with?" Hiccup was itching for something to do. A whole week of doing nothing but recovering his strength to walk and the occasional visit conversation was boring and he wanted to find something to occupy his mind.

"Yes. Even though you should be resting you can help with designing some of the orders that have been piling up for a while. Kids, go watch Hiccup, making sure he doesn't try to do any heavy lifting. He is only to sit and design. Maybe one of you can learn something and be an apprentice one day." Gobber hobbled back over to the sword he was fixing.

Hiccup sighed and walked over to the table at the back of the forge, the little kids following him.

"Go grab a place to sit, maybe you guys can help me with some of them."

For the remainder of the morning Hiccup and the kids worked while listening to Gobber bang metal.

By dinner time everyone knew that Hiccup was up and walking and they felt joy that a missing piece of their lives were back. At dinner Hiccup joined his dad, his uncle, his cousin, and Gobber at the head table, sitting at his rightful spot as heir, even if he dwarfed in comparison to them in size.

Even though it wasn't official, everyone was celebrating Hiccup's recovery. Hiccup could honestly say that he hasn't felt this accepted since he was really young. He did have one thing weighing on his mind though and that was the punishment that his dad wanted him to decide.

He didn't know what to give Astrid as punishment. He only knew he wouldn't go easy on her. He may use to have a crush on her but she wanted his death. He is going to use this chance to get revenge for trying to get him killed. When he voiced this to Gobber he looked shocked. "I have lived to see the day where you would grow a spine and stand up for yourself." And then he proceeded to fake cry, making Hiccup very awkward with what was happening.

Hiccup had finally made the perfect plan about how to punish Hiccup but he made sure to ask Mr. and Mrs. Hofferson if it was okay for him to treat their daughter like he planned.

"The girl has brought shame to the Hofferson clan. We have already disowned her for a girl with no honor means nothing to us." It may hurt them and seem too harsh to everyone else about how they were treating her but she had gone too far.

So, the day has come where Astrid's punishment was to be announced and enacted.

She was brought before everyone in the village and forced to kneel before Hiccup. She wanted to glare but new that Hiccup held her fate in his hands so if she was careful, it would not be too bad. How wrong she was.

"Astrid Noname, as of today you are no longer a member of this island. You are to banished to Outcast island to marry Alvin the Treacherous' son. As of first light tomorrow, you are no longer welcome to Berk and if you were to ever set foot on the island again you are to be executed by Blood Eagle." Hiccup looked every bit his birthright as she announced her fate like as if she was but a stranger that he was interacting with.

Astrid could not speak. She could only stare at Hiccup as she was dragged away. He did not even spare her a glance before he left the crowd to go home.

By the next morning Astrid was put on a boat with two other Vikings that would make sure she made it to Outcast island. Everyone that came to see her leave were the ones that looked at her with indifference. Even her parents were there with a look of indifference, not a hint of sympathy or even pity in place.

Astrid knew that what she has done was bad but she didn't want to leave. She knew that the moment she got to Outcast, she would never be who she dreamed to be, never become the shield maiden that she was told she was. She would become nothing more than an object to the men around her. She is losing everything. Her dignity, her dreams, her hopes, her future. She lost everything because she thought she was better than someone she thought replaceable. What she didn't know was that she was the replaceable, not the blacksmith apprentice, not the friendly helper, not the heir to the Chief, not Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third.

Astrid realizes that even though Hiccup was treated as the dirt under everyone's shoes, that dirt is what makes the village flourish, just like the dirt in nature is what supports the never ending cycle of life and the allows plants and animals to prosper above its strong base.

The ending to this story is lame and there is nothing that can be done about it because with Astrid gone and the villagers accepting Hiccup for being more than just a 'hiccup', the story of how Hiccup meets Toothless will be changed. But it was destiny that Hiccup ends the war between Vikings and dragons. But that is a story for a later time. Now is the time for Hiccup to feel the love and care that he always dreamed of since he was a child.

FIN

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Please comment and like, I want to know how I did.

For the Astrid fans that stayed, I'm sorry. Don't hate me.


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